Renowned coach and expert Oleh Fedorchuk has told us what he thinks about the prospects of Ukrainian midfielder Mykhaylo Mudryk at Chelsea London under the new head coach of this team - Mauricio Pochettino.
Oleg Fedorchuk- How will Mudrik's position at Chelsea change under Pochettino?
- Pochettino, in his coaching career at Tottenham, had a very high level of discipline. He had very few players who he allowed to play attacking football. The representatives of, let's say, football nation are disciplined, they like to play for results. Therefore, if one approaches things pragmatically or rhetorically, Mudrik will have even less of a chance.
The coach who is invited is given at least six months carte blanche. He owes nothing to those players who were not acquired in his presence, nor is he obliged to unlock a player's potential. Because he is working, you could say, from scratch. Therefore, Pochettino has already made it clear to several players that he is not counting on them. He is a fairly well-known coach, he needs to protect his name, and I do not think he will give not only Mudryk, but also anyone, any additional preferences.
- Given that Mudryk's chances of playing for Chelsea will become even fewer, perhaps he should go on loan?
- It will be up to the club to decide and offer. In such cases, of course, one can take the initiative himself. But in Mudrik's case this is unlikely to happen. It is hard to leave London. Therefore, I think if we go back to the beginning of this transfer deal, I had a feeling that the path of Salah, who was also bought by Chelsea for big money, and then sold him off on several loan spells, most likely awaits Misha. Momo has returned to Olympus, but at another club. At Liverpool, we know he is one of the best players in the world now.
A lot of players have come through on loan. Especially from our region, Eastern Europe: players go first to one club, then on loan, then come back. This is normal. The only thing that strains this situation is the transfer fee. If it was like in the case of Tsygankov (miserable, well, real) - even if not five, then at least 15-20 million, we would not be asking such questions to each other. For that amount Chelsea and Mudrik would be very happy with his debut. But they paid exorbitant sums of money and a handsome wage, so it all adds up to some dissatisfaction.
- Can Mudric make any changes, tighten things up in terms of football to be useful to Pochettino?
- It will be difficult for him. Footballers find it hard to change their style. Moreover, tactically, Mudric is very poor. His striking trump card is dribbling, speedy ball handling and explosive play. That's about it.
He is very difficult to combine and change tactics during the game, it is difficult for him to find himself in group attacks. On the other hand, he is good individually. But will the coach wait for him to adapt to his tactics? What will that look like? Unfortunately, Mudryk is the perfect antipode to the other Ukrainian player who plays for Arsenal.
Zinchenko is a great intellectual in football, who adapts quickly in any scheme and in any position, and can play strongly both individually and as a team. And mind you: Zinchenko has been criticised by everyone for his tackling, and he has dramatically improved in tackling. He had an established position in midfield - he completely rethought his role and found himself on the wing. It's very difficult! For the coach it is a testament that the player is thinking, learning, developing. Others are already balding but play at the same pace, they are a tool, not a personality.
But people like Zinchenko are very rare in our football - open-minded, uninhibited, gifted, intelligent, with a football intellect. I think there will be nothing tragic if Mudrik goes on loan to a club which is more modest. The main thing is for the coaching staff to understand and appreciate his best qualities. "Chelsea, on the other hand, can't figure out what it wants, what it can do, what it needs to do. It's not Mudrik's fault they are not involved in his development. They should sort themselves out on principle.
- Pochettino has not included Mudric on the list of 15 players he doesn't want. What does that mean? It's a good thing, isn't it?
- Means there was an agreement with the club's management not to look ridiculous. You can't go down. The club can not lower itself. You have to be consistent.
Pochettino is a team man and he works for the club now. Because it would be very bad for the club's reputation to buy a player with such pomp and then get rid of him three months later. Tottenham have sold a lot of players and he hasn't expressed displeasure. He will not impose conditions. He is not like Mourinho in that respect.
- What does Chelsea have in store for the future with Pochettino?
- Any club that acquires not just one, but a group of players, sooner or later starts to play. This has been and will be the case for all clubs without exception in domestic football. Sometimes it happens that a renewed team will not play as quickly as you would like, but everything falls into place.
If you take the budgets of clubs, as a rule, the clubs that are leaders on this index, they are somewhere comparable in the standings. Let's even take our league: write down the table with the budgets and compare it with the places in the UPL. Respectively, plus or minus one position.
Costs are the quality of players. Sooner or later the quality makes itself felt. Now Arsenal have switched on, and Chelsea understand this season is unusual. We can see it in Liverpool, who have slipped, failed to anticipate. Plus, they started to get tired. Chelsea will be fighting for fourth place next season and second place a year from now. If Pochettino is not prevented from building one team out of talented players, Chelsea will become a real championship contender in three years' time.
Eugene Chepur
